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[helmacon]

I know this suggestion is a little unrelated to the things currently being developed, but i wanted to put it down before i forgot.

Supergems -
I was playing DF the other day when my jeweler went into a fey mood, and proceeded to create a "perfect something gem". needless to say i was very disappointed and Urist McJeweler soon took a trip down the adimentine spire. This made me begin to consider the nature of artifact gems, and how they could be improved. The result of  this is the following idea.

Supergems!
 A super gem is a single randomly generated gem, similar to the way titans and forgotten beasts are generated. They are found inside the top of an adimentine spire; one per spire. They would be incredibly valuable, pre-cut and even have an effect. the description format would be something like this.
 
[name] a [type of gem cut] shaped gem, fixed to the forces of [sphere].
 It is [color] and [adjective] and is said to have [effect]

or for an example,

Storm caves, a square cut shaped gem, fixed to the powers of death.
It is black and glistening and is said to emit poisoning vapors. 

You wold be able to set it in an object like any other gem, but the object would then become an artifact of the stones name and retain any effects from the stone. This way you could do something with it like make an awesome crown for your king, or anything you want. The stones could be aligned with good or neutral things as well, and i think it would be cool if the effects could affect thoughts, "and is said to endow happiness and good thoughts." this would add some flavor and variety to the deeper levels and give you another reason for digging deep.
Thats all i can think of for this suggestion right now, so any thoughts?

[Putnam]

I find that effect thing interesting, especially since these here strings are in the game files:

Code: [Select]

The item sparkles with a supernatural brillance.
The air around the object seems warped as if it were very hot, yet the item is cool to the touch.
The object looks oddly square.
The item constantly emits a nearly inaudible high-pitched whistle.
The item is covered with small bumps.
The item smells like wet earth.
Tiny streaks of lightning streak quickly over the object's surface.
Creatures that look at the item cannot think negative thoughts.
The item is covered with minute gray hairs.
The item sounds like rustling leaves when moved.


[helmacon]

those would work great for descriptions! where in the files are they at? I've never seen them before.

[Putnam]

AFAIK, our local code gurus combed them out from somewhere or another.
http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/String_dump

[helmacon]

Thanks

[Revanchist]

Good (or great) idea. I think, though, that our text-generator would  find a way to make the weakest names for Armok-killing artifacts. And Killer the Adorables, but that was implied.
About the effects, though: exactly how strong would you make them be?
     Renders the wielder immortal;
     Endows the wielder with the strength of a hundred dwarves;
     Grants the wielder undwarven power;
     Gives the wielder the liquor-capacity of a baby elf.
Anywhere between these? Also, is the bonus from the perspective of the gems source, or the player? I can see a benevolent healer god thinking that giving your rampaging adventurer an instantly healing touch as something great, but from a fighting perspective... You probably saw the direction already.

[Drago55577]

Would it work like, depending on the object the gem is in would affect how the effect is used. Say, you put a gem of heat that emits flame into a staff, the wielder of the staff could shoot beams of flame from the staff, and be immune to fire. But if it's in a crown it would set the area around the wearer on fire periodically. If so, would it be affected by the crafting quality, it'd be funny to see an artifact magmalaser pair of gauntlets start making magma rivers ontop of enemies, while the other guy with a poorly crafted pair of magmalaser gauntlets would make little pools of magma randomly, while also being immune to magma, but still feeling the pain etc. and depressed by any deaths of dwarves the magma causes.

I like the idea of super gems anyway though .

P.S. Yay i'm back!

[GreatWyrmGold]

Mostly good, but why would the staff make you immune to fire?

[Revanchist]

So you don't burn your hand?

[GreatWyrmGold]

Okay, why was the wrong word.

How?

[Putnam]

Okay, why was the wrong word.

How?

...magic?

[Revanchist]

Elf-hating magic of Armok, giving you the tools to finally destroy the elves?

[GreatWyrmGold]

Okay, why was the wrong word.
How?

...magic?

Magic working arbitrarily?

[GreatWyrmGold]

Okay, why was the wrong word.
How?

...magic?

Magic working arbitrarily?

[Putnam]

If it didn't, it wouldn't be magic.